Trafford

Local newspaper reports on the 06/12/40 that a Clifford Brown helped to
save the body of Captain Harold Tyler Phillips.   C.B. reports that he was
aboard the S.S. Pikepool when they saw the Elmbank and the Blairangus (also
torpedoed, but by U-48).   Captain Phillips's body was found on the boat
and later buried at sea.  The survivors were landed at St. John's
Newfoundland.  The S.S. Pikepool was sunk after hitting a mine on
22/11/40.

The Elmbank was built in 1925, it's gross register tonnage was 5,156, it
was 436 feet long, 53 feet wide and could make 12 knots.   A cargo ship, it
was one of 59 ships operated by the Bank Line.

Part of Convoy HX72, comprising 47 ships, she was travelling from Cowichan,
British Colombia to Belfast, via Panama and Halifax, Nova Scotia with a
cargo of timber and metal.     On the 21/09/40 she was torpedoed by U-99,
whilst in convoy HX72, it was then shelled by U-47 and U-99 and finally
torpedoed again by U-99, it eventually sank in position - 55.20N 22.30W.  
There were 55 survivors, who were rescued by the British ship Pikepool and
landed at St. John's, Newfoundland,  but 1 member of the crew was lost.  
Another source states that the Captain + 53 of his crew were rescued, but 2
crew were lost.    The former record must obviously be correct   The local
newspaper states that it was mined.